Russia refuses to rule out new Cold War

RUSSIA FIRES BACK

Russia has announced it would be forced to develop new missiles if America does the same after quitting a Cold War-era nuclear treaty.

According to the ABC, US President Donald Trump announced that he would withdraw from the 1987 bilateral ban on short and medium range missiles because Russia was allegedly violating the pact. Former Soviet leader and treaty architect Mikhail Gorbachev has labelled Trump’s plan a mistake, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced overnight that Russia would be forced to balance military power if the US began developing new missiles.

CHILDREN EVACUATED FROM NAURU

The Australian Border Force has confirmed that 11 more children awaiting high-level medical treatment have been transferred from Nauru.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, ABF’s top medical officer also acknowledged last night the “unprecedented jump” in medical cases after child refugees, 52 of whom are still on the island, passed their fifth year in offshore detention. The news comes after crossbenchers introduced a bill yesterday that would evacuate families from the island and, emboldened after Kerryn Phelps’ presumed Wentworth victory, continue to urge Labor and the Coalition to agree on a permanent resolution.

ANALYSIS OUTLINES LIBERAL COLLAPSE

Analysis of the Newspolls since the August 24 libspill has found the Coalition could lose 25 seats across the nation at the expected May 2019 election, including eight held by current frontbenchers.

Special state-by-state analysis by The Australian ($) demonstrates a collapse in Coalition support across mainland Australia following Malcolm Turnbull’s dumping, and comes as Scott Morrison rejects moderate calls for climate action following the Wentworth byelection, set to increase today with a call for a $1 billion injection into the Emissions Reduction Fund ($). Morrison will, however, seek unity at a partyroom meeting today around a price benchmark on power bills ($).

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THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

My work here is done. Back to the dumpster fire of Asian capital markets.

Alex Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull’s son celebrates the Liberal party’s loss at Wentworth by logging off.

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Is Kerryn Phelps eligible for Parliament?Kishor Napier-Raman

“As with many MPs over the last year, there are questions over Phelps’ eligibility for Parliament under section 44 of the Constitution. Specifically, because of her work as a general practitioner, and position on the City of Sydney Council, Phelps may hold an ‘office of profit’ under the Crown, rendering her ineligible.”

Morrison’s reaction to Wentworth loss was worse than the resultBernard Keane

“The constant in all the narratives, from moderate Trent Zimmerman, who took one for the team by going on the ABC’s coverage, to the froth-mouthed rantings of the far right on Sky and 2GB, was that the losing candidate, Dave Sharma, bore none of the blame. Certainly — when he was finally and belatedly allowed to speak for himself in a richly symbolic concession speech — he was gracious in defeat and magnanimous to Phelps. But to absolve him of blame is a worrying sign for next year.”

The four kinds of right-wing takes on WentworthCharlie Lewis

“Look, a record-breaking swing in the axed PM’s old seat, costing the government its majority, was always going to unleash a torrent of ink akin to the blood surging from the elevator doors in The Shining, and become something of a political pareidolia. So a few weird takes from our political pundits were always going to get through. But this has been particularly true for the hard right of the media — who had spent three years baying for Turnbull’s blood, and, finally having got it, became furious when he quit parliament.”

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Kelly O’Dwyer warns of industrial ‘anarchy’ ahead of union mega-rally

Queensland minister receives rape threats after opposing Christmas gun billboard

Fly-in, fly-out MP Melissa Price racks up expenses ($)

Coal’s days are numbered, top government adviser says

Immigration Department will deport more sex offenders and violent thugs under new visa law ($)

NSW minister says he did not have to declare trip with Clubs NSW

P&O cruise ship dumped 27,000 litres of waste on Great Barrier Reef, Senate hears

Father Chris Riley furious as government cuts his funding without explanation ($)

Airbnb to mobilise users in war against hotel industry’s regulation plan

Kerryn Phelps says she won’t be a wrecker in Parliament

THE COMMENTARIAT

ACTU wants a return to the dark days of mass union militancy — Kelly O’Dwyer (Sydney Morning Herald): “Today we are being given a glimpse of the bleak industrial relations landscape future in Australia were there to be a change of government next year. Thousands of construction and other workers will have walked off work sites, in many cases ordered to leave their work sites, to take part in a protest designed to overturn the laws that govern Australia’s workplaces.”

Swap Russia for China and we’re again at ‘war’ – it’s just a cold fact ($) — Alan Dupont (The Australian): “But the sceptics are wrong on both accounts. US Vice-President Mike Pence’s October 4 address to the Hudson Institute, a US think-tank, is a sweeping indictment of Chinese expansionism and the excesses of the Chinese political system under President Xi Jinping. Largely ignored by other Australian media, Pence’s speech set the scene for an unprecedented, ­administration-wide push-back against China on multiple policy fronts redolent of Winston Churchill’s watershed March 5, 1946 ‘Iron Curtain’ speech heralding the start of the first Cold War.”

The situation on Nauru was the elephant in the room at the national abuse apology — Joanne McCarthy (Sydney Morning Herald): “The elephant in the room made an appearance as Scott Morrison neared the end of his apology to thousands of Australians sexually abused as children in institutions over decades. A man in the public gallery stood up and displayed his sign – ‘Fix Nauru then apology’ – in a direct line of sight from the Prime Minister on the floor of the House of Representatives.”

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Canberra

• CEOs from the co-operative and mutual sector will hold a joint press conference with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance, Senator Zed Seselja, to welcome new draft capital-raising legislation for co-ops, mutuals and mutual ADIS.

Melbourne

• Victorian Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio will open the Ballarat Energy Storage System, visit Lal Lal Wind Farm Site, and announce an energy efficiency grant to Ararat Rural City Council.

• Victorian Australian of the Year award recipients will be announced.

• Cancer Council Victoria will launch the “13 types of cancer” campaign, including details on the link between obesity and cancer.

• Ex-Collingwood player Brodie Holland and former premier John Brumby will attend a preview event for the November 25 Eureka Stair Climb, for charity the Fred Hollows Foundation.

• Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and the Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt will finish their combined 1000km “Head to Head” walk in Wangaratta to raise awareness and funds for retired police veterans living with mental health issues.

Perth

• Day one of the two-day Subsea Controls Down Under Conference, to include a keynote from National Energy Resources Australia CEO Miranda Taylor.

Brisbane

• Childcare educators and their union United Voice will rally outside a Brisbane child care centre, owned by Peter Dutton’s family trust, demanding the government adequately fund the childcare sector.

Sydney

• The University of Sydney will host Sydney Ideas panel event “Hope on the horizon for Indigenous youth mental health”.

• Senior Curator for the State Library of NSW Elise Edmonds will launch the “Satire in the War Years” exhibition at Sutherland Shire Libraries.

Adelaide

• Health journalist Dr Norman Swan will present “Busting the Ageing Myth” for the 2018 ZestFest Oration.

Hobart

• The University of Tasmania will host public panel event “Geoengineering: The next frontier of climate change policy?”.

Australia

• The ACTU will hold 9 rallies across the country as part of the “Change the Rules” campaign, with 150,000 expected in Melbourne and Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey and ACTU President Michele O’Neill to speak in Sydney.